Multicolor rotary printing press



March 1, 1932. H. M. BARBER MULTICOLOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Jan. 12, 13 31 INVENTORY M2, m

ATTO RNEYS Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE HOWARD 1L BARBER, OI PAWCATUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR '10 C. B. CO'ITRELL l, SONS COMPANY, 01 WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPOB ATION' OF DELAWARE MULTICOLOR ROTARY PRINTING rams I Application filed January 12, 1981. Serial No. 508,085.

- printing units.

My invent-ion further comprises a sheet cutting flat sheet delivery mechanism for the first multicolor printing unit and both a sheet cutting flatsheet delivery mechanism and a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for the second printing unit, manually operated means being'employed for connectin the second printing unit to either one 0 said mechanisms at pleasure.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawin s in which: I

ig. 1' represents a diagrammatic top plan view of a multicolor perfecting printing press with two multicolor printing units operatively connected to perfect a single web, the

second printing unit being shown as con- 7 nected to the sheet cutting and folding mechanism and the offset mechanism for the second printing unit removed Fig. 2 represents a diagrammatic side view of the parts shown in-Fig. 1, the offset mechanism for the second printing unit being also Fig. 3 represents a diagrammatic detail end view.

"The first printing unit of the multicolor rotary web perfecting printing press is shown as adapted to print up to four colors,

the impression cylinder being denoted by 1 and its coacting form cylinders by 2, 3, 4

and 5. In this printing unit the form cylin-' ders are shown as arranged around the upper side of their impression cylinder.-

The second printing unit is shown as adapted to print up to four colors, the impression cylinder being denoted 'by 6 and its coacting form cylinders by 7, 8, 9 and 10. In this unit the form cylinders are shown as arranged around the under side of their impression cylinder.

The. sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism 11 for the first printing unit includes a. pair of coacting rotary cutters 12, 13 and it is arranged at right angles to the run of the web through the first printing unit, a turning bar 14 being provided for dlrect ng the web from the first printing unit to the said sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism when a single web is being passed through the first printing mechamsm only for print-in on one side thereof. A sheet cutting an flat sheet delivery mechanism 15 includes a pair of coacting rotary cutters 16, 17 and is located beyond the second printing unit in position to cut and deliver a single web when printed on one side only by the second printing mechanism or for cutting and delivering a perfected web when run through both prmting mechanisms. This sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism is disposed in line with the path of the web and is therefore dis osed at right angles to the sheet cutting and at sheet delivery mechanism for. the first printing unit. e

A sheet cutting and folding mechanism 18 includes 'apair of coactin rotary cutters 19, 20, which mechanism is ocated beyond the second printing unit and is disposed at right angles to the run of the web through the press. This sheet cutting and folding mechanism is intended'to be used when the sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism for the second printing unit is not used and vice versa.

The second printing unit may be provided with an offset device for use when-a single web is assed through both rinti'ng units to ,be per ected thereby,-said-o set device being shown as comprisin an offset web supply roll 21 from which t e offset web 22 may be passed to and around the im ression cylinder 6 and from thence to the 0 set web take up roll 23.

The means which I have shown for driving the two printing units either separately or together and also their sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanisms and the sheet cutting and folding mechanism comprises the following elements:

The longitudinally disposed drive shaft 24 for the first printing unit and its cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism is shown as being driven from an electric motor 25 through a belt and pulley driving connection 26. This shaft 24 drives the first printing unit through a gear train 27. It also drives the sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism 11 for the first printing unit through the gear train 28.

The longitudinally disposed drive shaft 29 for the second printing unit is shown as being driven from an electric motor 30 through a belt and pulley connection 31. This shaft 29 drives the second printing unit through the gear train 32. It also drives the sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism 15 for the second printing unit through the ear train 33 when connected thereto. This s aft 29 also drives the sheet cutting and folding mechanism 18 for the second printing unit through the gear train 34 when connected thereto. In the present instance a manually operated clutch 35 is arranged to move either the gear 36 into mesh with the gear train 33 of the sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism or the gear 37 into mesh with the gear train 34 of' the sheet cutting and folding mechanism, according to which of these mechanisms is to be used.

'It is to be understood that the several gear trains connecting the shafts with the parts driven thereby may be of any well known or approved form suitable for the work intended and therefore they will not be specifically described herein.\

The two drive shafts 24 and 29 are shown as arranged in alinement with each other and they are adapted to be connected and disconnected by means of a manually operated clutch 38, it being understood that when the shafts are connected they will work together to drive both printing units and their selected cutting and delivery or folding mechanisms and that'when the shafts are disconnected the motor 25 may be used for driving the first printing unit and its cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism, and the motor 30 may be used for driving the second printing unit and its cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism.

In the embodiment represented in the accompanying drawings the perfected web is shown as being divided longitudinally on the upper part of two feed rolls 39, 40 by a slitter 41 into two narrow webs which are passed around turner bars 42, 43 to the cutting and folding mechanism 18.

In operation: When a single web is to be rfected, both printing units are connected y manipulating the clutch 38 to connect the drive shafts 24 and 29. The web in this instance ,will be led from its supply roll 44 through the first printing umt and from thence through the second printing unit either to the cutters 16, 17 of the sheet cutting and 7 flat sheet delivery mechanism 15 or to the cutters 19 and 20 of the sheet cutting and folding mechanism 18 as desired; it being understood that the clutch 35 ma be manually operated to connect the sha t 29 either to the train of gears 33 for the first named mechanism or to the train of gears 34 of the second named mechanism. Where a single web is being perfected, the offset web 22 will be used for preventing the freshly printed side-of the web from offsetting on to the impression cylinder 6 of the second printing unit. When two webs are to be printed on one side only or when only one of the printing units is to be used, the" two units are disconnected by manipulating the clutch 38 to disconnect the drive shafts 24 and 29, thus permitting each of the motors 25 and 30 to be used for driving its particular printing unit and cuttin and delivery mechanism. Under this condition the web from the web supply roll 44 is passed through the first printing unit to be printed on one side thereof and from thence back and around the turner bar 14 to the cutters 12, 13 of the sheet pile 47. In this instance the sheet cutting desired to cut and fold sheets printed on one side only which is an unusual requirement.

From the above description it will be seenthat the two printing units may be used together for perfecting a single web, said single web being either cut into sheets and delivered flat or cut into sheets and folded as desired; or that the printing units may be used simultaneously to print on one side only of two webs, or that either one of the printin units may be used alone to print on one si e only of a web.

The novel parts of the printing press shown and described but not claimed herein form the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 498,700, filed November 28th, 1930.

It is evident that various changes ma be resorted to in the construction, form an arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to limit myself to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but

What I claim is 1. In a multicolor rotary printin press, first and second printing umts operable when and when disconnected to print on one sideonly of two webs, means for connecting and disconnectin said units a sheet cutting and folding mec anism, and manually 0 rated means for connecting it to the secon printing unit.

2. Ina multicolor rotary printin press,

first and second rinting units operab e when connected to prlnt on bothsidesof one vweb and when disconnected to print on one side only. of two Webs, means for connecting and disconnectin said units, a sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism, a sheet cutting and folding mechanism, and manually operated means for connecting either one of said mechanisms to the second printing unit.

3. In a multicolor rotary print-in press, first and second printing units operab e when connected to print on both sides of one web and when disconnected to print on one side only of two webs, means for connecting and disconnectin said units, a sheet cutting and flat sheet de lvery for the first printing unit and both a sheet cutting and at sheet de livery and a sheetcutting and foldin mechanism for the secondprinting unit, an manually operated mea'n's for connecting either one of said two last named mechanisms to the second printing unit.

4. In a multicolor rotary printing press, first and second printing units operable to print on both sides of a web, a sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism, a sheet cutting and folding mechanism, and manually operated meansfor connecting either one of said mechanisms to the second print- -ing unit.

5. In a multicolor rotary rinting. press, first and second printing umts operable to print on both sides of a web, a sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism, a sheet cutting and fclding mechanism, and manually operated meansfor connecting either oneof said mechanisms to the second printing unit, one of said mechanism being disposed at right angles to the path of travel-of the web through the printing units.

6. In a multicolor rotary printing press, first and second printingunits operable to print on both sides of a web, a sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism, a sheet cutting and folding mechanism, and manually operated means for connecting either one of said mechanisms to the second printing unit, the sheet cutting and folding mechanism being disposed at right angles to the path of travel of the web through the printng units.

In a multicolor rotary printing press,"

one of said mechanisms to the second printing unit, the sheet cutting and folding mechamsm being disposed at right angles to the path of travel of the web through the printmg units, and the sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanism being disposed in line with the path of the web.

8. In a multicolor rotary printing press, first and second printing umts and their sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanisms, a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for the second printing unit, and means operable to drive the printing units together or independently and to drive the cutting and delivery mechanism for the first printing unit and either the sheet cutting and delivery mechanism or the sheet cutting and folding mechanism for the second printing unit.

9. In' a multicolor rotary printing press,

first and second printing units and their sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanisms, a

a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for the second printing unit, and means for selectively operating said printing units. and

mechanisms whereby a single web may be perfected, cut into sheets-and delivered either flat or folded as desired.

. 10./In a multicolor rotary printing press, first and second printing units and their sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery mechanisms, a

sheet cutting and folding mechanism for the second printing unit, and means for selectively operating said printing units and mechanisms whereby a single web may be perfected, cut into sheets and delivered either flat or folded as desired, or each of two webs may be printed on one side only and cut into sheets and delivered flat.

11. In a multicolor rotary printing press, first and second printing units operable to either print on both sides of one web or on one side only of two webs, a sheet cutting and folding mechanism, and manually 0 erated means for bringing it into and out o coaction with the second printing unit.

12. In a multicolor rotary printing press, first and second, printing units operable to one side only of two webs, a sheet cutting and flat sheet delivery fnechanism, a sheet cut ting and folding mechanism, and means for bringing either one into and the other one out of coaction with the second printing unit.

In' testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this ninth day of January, Al D. 1931.

- HOWARD M. BARBER.

- either print on both sides of one web or on i 

